Device for storing and transferring products in small packets

ABSTRACT

A solution is to be created with a device for storing and transferring products in small packets as an independent, tower-like structure to be set up in traffic areas, with which a compact interim storage area can be made available at any desired location, particularly in the region of generally accessible traffic areas, for example pedestrian shopping zones or the like, whereby the loading position does not necessarily have to agree with the removal position.  
     This is achieved in that the tower ( 2 ) has a plurality of positioning levels ( 5 ) located one above the other, each having a plurality of positions for the products and/or for containers ( 6 ) that hold products, as well as an operating device ( 7 ) that reaches each position, and having at least one access level for the user, who is located in the traffic space, to remove or empty a container ( 6 ) intended for him/her and/or the small packet intended for him/her, wherein each removal position is provided with an opening and closing device that allows access to the container ( 6 ) located at this position and/or to the small packet, to remove it, while simultaneously preventing access to the container interior or to other removal positions.

[0001] The invention is directed at a device for storing andtransferring products in small packets as an independent, tower-likestructure to be set up in traffic areas.

[0002] There are different systems for positioning products at leasttemporarily and allowing access for authorized users, whereby in thisconnection it is also known to offer containers to the user that have adifferent temperature from that of the ambient temperature, for example.Such a system with a freezer device is shown in DE 196 39 696, forexample, as a locker system.

[0003] An automatic locker system is presented, for example, in theessay “Fordertechnik 12/2000,” whereby the locker system in the maintrain station of Cologne has an input/output terminal for luggage to bepositioned there. Such a system is complicated in design, since it mustbe designed for relatively high output and turnover numbers, in order tomake sufficient positions available during seasonal high volume.

[0004] From DE 24 47 618, a device for automatic unloading and/orloading of items, for example hanging clothes on chain conveyors ofdry-cleaning establishments, or the like, is known, whereby the desiredproduct, in each instance, can be brought to an unloading position bymeans of prior and appropriate control. A device for transport ofdrawers arranged in shelves on rails and rollers, structured essentiallyas a carousel, is furthermore shown in DE 32 23 426 U1, whereby anoperating device centrally surrounded by receiving positions is providedwithin the device.

[0005] Thanks to the possibility of purchasing products by way ofelectronic media, for example, the turnover of goods is increasing, andit is also increasingly being exercised by private distributors. In thisconnection, it can be practical, for example in a large city, to set upa plurality of interim storage areas, whereby the interim storage areais filled with products by means of larger vehicles, for example, whilefurther transport to the customer takes place in the retail distributionsector, or the customer himself/herself picks up the products at theinterim storage area. An example to be mentioned here is the“e-Commerce” system, interim storage areas of supermarkets, whichcompile orders and make them available to the customer, book stores,video stores, CD stores, or toy stores or the like.

[0006] In the case of conventional lockers or also in the case of thecooled compartments already mentioned above, input and output aregenerally identical, whereby this restricts the capacity, since severalcompartment positions remain empty until they have been filled again.

[0007] It is the task of the invention to create a solution with which acompact interim storage area can be made available at any desiredlocation, particularly in the region of generally accessible trafficareas, such as pedestrian shopping zones or the like, whereby theposition of loading does not necessarily have to agree with the removalposition.

[0008] This task is accomplished with a device of the type indicatedinitially, by means of the characterizing features of claim 1.

[0009] By means of the design as a tower, particularly a round tower,comparatively large storage capacities and a maximum of removal openingscan be achieved on a small area, whereby towers can be constructed insuch a way that they can be reached over a large area of theircircumference. Thus it is possible, using this method of construction,to spatially separate the loading position, on the one hand, and theremoval position or positions, on the other hand, e.g. to have a loadingposition on a delivery level, while the removal position is accessiblefrom a pedestrian level, for example, if the system is aimed directly tothe end user. The tower construction also makes it possible to lower atleast a comparatively large region of the capacity below ground level,without additional space being required for this.

[0010] Because the containers are structured with a blockable drawer,vandalism, in particular, can be prevented in the traffic area usingcomparatively simple means, and also removal of container contents thatare not intended for the corresponding persons can be prevented.

[0011] Further developments of the invention are evident from thedependent claims. In this connection, it can be particularly practicalif each container is positioned so that it can be pulled out in a drawerthat blocks the removal opening towards the inside, but cannot beremoved.

[0012] A particular feature of the invention consists of the fact thatthe container in question blocks the removal opening in the removalposition, in such a way that access to the container interior isassured, but access to the interior of the device is blocked. Thisstructure guarantees that no vandalism can occur, and that inparticular, no access is made possible to containers that are notintended for the person authorized to open the compartment.

[0013] In this connection, it can also be provided that each containerand/or the corresponding drawer is arranged to tilt in the removalposition and pulled-out position.

[0014] Both of the features mentioned above serve the purpose ofallowing the most convenient access possibility to the containerinterior, whereby the drawer system presents a blocking possibility thatis easy to handle in technical terms, and prevents unauthorized removalfrom the container.

[0015] Another protection possibility can consist, according to theinvention, of the fact that each container in the drawer is equippedwith a computer-controlled, particularly time-switched retraction drive,i.e. if the removal opening, with the container pulled out, is left inthe open position, accidentally or intentionally, a retraction mechanismis activated, for example by way of a time relay, which pulls the drawerand/or the container back into the interior of the device, and therebyopens up the possibility of making the removal opening, which waspreviously blocked, available for third users again.

[0016] A particular advantage of the invention consists of the fact thatat least certain regions of the tower are structured for the storage ofobjects that have a lower or higher temperature as compared to theambient temperature, in accordance with their purpose. For example, acooling region can be provided in the region of the tower that is sunkbelow ground level, which serves to save insulation and takes advantageof the fact that cold air sinks down, so that the lower region can bestructured as a cooling zone, in simple manner.

[0017] Vice versa, other regions can also be structured as a freezerzone or even, if this is desired, as a heating zone, whereby it ispractical if the latter then is at a relatively great distance from acooling zone, if both types of zones are located in the device.

[0018] A plurality of removal positions for the end user can be providedat the circumference of the tower. In the same manner, the delivery zonecan be structured in such a way that a plurality of loading levels andloading spaces are released, for example by way of a roll-up door, whichcan then be charged with products, whereby, as already mentioned above,the removal zone can have a different position from the filling zone.

[0019] The operating device can be provided in the device in differentembodiments. For example, as a tower conveyor device, it can be arrangedon a central mast that is either positioned so as to rotate itself or,if a hydraulic lifting cylinder is involved, a rotation of the loadholding means around the drive or at the tip of the drive takes place,for example. The tower conveyor device can be structured as a portalconveyor device or other similar device.

[0020] Additional characteristics, details and advantages of theinvention are evident from the following description, as well as on thebasis of the drawing. This shows, in

[0021]FIG. 1 a simplified spatial representation of the device, partlyin cross-section,

[0022]FIG. 2 a top view in a simplified representation,

[0023]FIG. 3 a simplified representation in cross-section, as theloading and removal position, as well as in

[0024]FIG. 4 a detailed view of a drawer with loading aids.

[0025] The device, indicated in general as 1, consists, in the exampleshown, of a tower-like structure 2 having a region 4 that is sunk belowthe handling level 3, and a region that projects above ground level. Aplurality of positioning levels, located one above the other, indicatedin general as 5, is arranged in the interior of the tower 2, and thisalso holds true for the basement region 4 that lies below ground level,whereby a plurality of containers, indicated in general as 6, isarranged or can be positioned in the individual levels.

[0026] To handle the containers 6, at least one central conveyor deviceis provided; in the example shown in FIG. 1, it is structured as aportal hoist 7 having a drive unit 8 and equipped with a telescopingconveyor 9, whereby this conveyor device can also be structureddifferently.

[0027] In order to be able to operate all the positions, the conveyordevice can be moved up and down as shown by the double arrow. It canrotate by way of a turntable on the floor and in the ceiling region ofthe device, for example, as indicated by a double arrow 11, whereby theload holding means is structured so that it can telescope in one level,as indicated with the double arrow 12 in FIG. 1.

[0028] To call up a container 6, i.e. to reach its contents, removalwindows 13 are arranged on at least one side of the tower 2, wherebyaccess is possible, for example, by way of a specific personalidentification number, by way of a terminal indicated as 14, which isshown outside of the device 2 here, for reasons of the illustration; itcan also be an integral part of the exterior wall of the device or canbe called up in different manner, for example by way of a hand-heldtelephone. If a user desires access to a compartment, he/she inputshis/her corresponding code or the call-up number or another type ofidentification, the container 6 assigned to him/her is positioned infront of the window 13 in the interior of the tower 2, the window 13opens, and access is possible.

[0029] In this connection, each container can be arranged in a type ofdrawer 17 (FIG. 3). By way of this drawer 17, it is possible to pull thecontainer partly out of the window 13, and to tilt it down, ifnecessary, in order to facilitate access to the container interior.

[0030] In order to also allow cooled container positions in the interiorof the tower 2, the lower tower region indicated as 4, for example, canbe provided with a cooling device, referred to in general in FIG. 1 as15, and shown only very schematically.

[0031] The delivery position is indicated as 16. Here, the wall of thetower 2 can be structured as a sliding door, in order to allowsimultaneous loading of a plurality of containers by a delivery person.

[0032] Of course, the exemplary embodiment of the invention, asdescribed, can still be changed in many different respects, withoutthereby departing from the basic idea. For example, the invention is notlimited to the tower shown, which is round in cross-section; here, othercross-sectional shapes can also be provided, for example a tower that iselliptical in cross-section, having two shelf conveyors in the foci ofthe ellipsis, for example, or a correspondingly controlled central shelfconveyor that telescopes to different distances; depending on theinstallation situation, at least partly angular cross-sectional shapescan also be provided, and the like. In the case of a group of personswith different access authorizations, the removal positions can beseparated from one another accordingly; of course, this can also applyfor the loading positions, and the like.

1. Device for storing and transferring products in small packets as anindependent, tower-like structure (2) to be set up in traffic areas,characterized in that the tower (2) has a plurality of positioninglevels (5) located one above the other, each having a plurality ofpositions for the products and/or for containers (6) that hold products,as well as an operating device (7) that reaches each position, andhaving at least one access level for the user, who is located in thetraffic space, to remove or empty a container (6) intended for him/herand/or the small packet intended for him/her, wherein each removalposition is provided with an opening and closing device that allowsaccess to the container (6) located at this position and/or to the smallpacket, to remove it, while simultaneously preventing access to thecontainer interior or to other removal positions.
 2. Device according toclaim 1, characterized in that each container (6) is positioned so thatit can be pulled out in a drawer that blocks the removal opening towardsthe interior, but cannot be removed.
 3. Device according to claim 2,characterized in that each container and/or the corresponding drawer isarranged to tilt in the removal position and pulled-out position. 4.Device according to claim 3, characterized in that each container isprovided, in the drawer, with a computer-controlled retraction drive,particularly a time-switched retraction drive.
 5. Device according toclaim 4, characterized in that the device (1) is structured as a shelftower (2) having a round cross-section and a central shelf operatingdevice (7).
 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims,characterized in that a plurality of removal positions (13) isstructured at the circumference of the tower (2) for the end user. 7.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatat least specific regions (4) of the tower (2) are structured for thestorage of objects that have a lower or higher temperature as comparedto the ambient temperature, in accordance with their purpose.
 8. Deviceaccording to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at leastone zone of the tower (2) is structured as a heating zone, as a coolingzone (4), and/or as a freezer zone.